Understanding
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: Hermione just wants to stop the worse from happening. Three-Shot.
1. Discovery

**Written For:**

 **The Only One Character Challenge:** Round 5

 **Main Prompt:** As this is the final round it will be tough. Below you will find three lists, you will claim one thing from each list as soon as possible. These will be your puzzle pieces for your fic; oh, and did I mention, your challenge will be to write, not a one-shot, not a two-shot, but a three-shot.

 ** _Restriction:_ **You cannot use past tense

 _ **Title** (main fic title or chapter title) **:**_ Spiraling

 **_Issue_** _(does not have to be main story topic but clearly referenced) **:**_ Your character dealing with a personal trauma.

 **Prompts:** (word) knitting / (word) television / (random prompt) Your character must be injured in some way

xXx

 _Chapter 1: Discovery_

Jane Granger sits in front of the television. She watches the news show, but Hermione isn't sure she's really paying attention. She's busy knitting something. Maybe a blanket. Hermione isn't sure.

Hermione doesn't understand how her mom can knit and watch television at the same time. Knitting should require more attention, right?

Hermione stares at her mom. "Isn't that hard?" she can't help but question out loud. She is a curious child and always wants the answers to everything.

Her mom shakes her head. "It isn't, at least not if you've been doing it for a long time."

Hermione looks down at her lap. She stares at her stubby little fingers that are clasping her navy dress. She would love to learn a new skill, but she has a feeling she wouldn't be very good at it.

She doesn't ask her mom to teach her, knowing her mom is a busy woman.

Her dad opens the front door and slams it with such force that Hermione jumps.

"Dan," her mom scolds, a glare fastened on her pretty face.

"Hermione, go to your room," her dad orders.

"But Dad—" Hermione tries to argue, but her dad makes a sharp gesture with his hand.

"Go!" he yells.

Hermione slowly gets up from her seat, looks first at her dad, then at her mom in confusion, and then she runs up the stairs.

She doesn't go into her room, though. She goes to her bedroom, opens the door, and while still standing in the hallway, she shuts it loud enough to be heard.

And then she sneaks back to the stairs, sits on the step that's second from the top, leans her head against the banister and listens.

"Can't you do something other than knit, Jane? Look at this house. It's a mess!"

Hermione gasps. The house isn't spotless, but it's nowhere close to a being a mess. She can't see her mom's face, but she can imagine 'the look.'

"A mess, you say? The only mess I see is your stuff cluttering the area. Even our nine-year-old daughter knows to put her things away when she's done with them. You could learn a thing or two from her."

"I work all day."

"And what do I do? Sit on my hands and stare into nothingness? We both work, so we should _both_ work on keeping the house clean and clutter-free."

"It's the woman's job to clean."

Hermione gasps once again. She might be young, but she knows that's a bad thing to say. She has never heard her dad say such a mean thing before. It boggles her mind.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," her mom says with a frosty tone.

"Then I guess I'll have to say it louder. It's the woman's job to clean!"

The sound of knitting needles clattering to the floor is heard and Hermione quickly stands up and runs to her bedroom.

She has the presence of mind to open and shut the bedroom door quietly, but she can't stop the tears that are rolling down her cheeks.

This isn't her parents' first fight, but she knows it certainly won't be their last.

* * *

 _(Chapter WC: 528)_


	2. Spiraling

**Written For:**

 **The Only One Character Challenge:** Round 5

 **Main Prompt:** As this is the final round it will be tough. Below you will find three lists, you will claim one thing from each list as soon as possible. These will be your puzzle pieces for your fic; oh, and did I mention, your challenge will be to write, not a one-shot, not a two-shot, but a three-shot.

 ** _Restriction:_ **You cannot use past tense

 _ **Title** (main fic title or chapter title) **:**_ Spiraling

 **_Issue_** _(does not have to be main story topic but clearly referenced) **:**_ Your character dealing with a personal trauma.

 **Prompts:** (word) knitting / (word) television / (random prompt) Your character must be injured in some way

xXx

 _Chapter 2: Spiraling_

Hermione is failing. She isn't failing in gym like she normally does. Well, she _is_ , but no one thinks that it's weird that she can't throw a softball, shoot a basketball into a hoop, or dodge the red rubber ball of death.

No, what has her teacher raising an eyebrow at her is she's failing in academics. She's doing poorly in English, Math, Science, and History. She has never gotten anything below an "A', but now she's bringing home D's and F's.

Her teacher has asked her if she wants to talk about it. Hermione says, "No, Mrs. Sweetin."

Her teacher returns with, "Are you sure, Hermione? Talking might help."

Once again, Hermione answers, "No, Mrs. Sweetin." All the while, she wears a polite smile on her face.

Her teacher holds her hands behind her back. "Hermione, are you having problems at home?"

Hermione maintains her smile. "Of course not."

It's a lie of course. There are problems at home. Her parents' fighting is worse every day.

She's afraid they'll get a divorce. Maybe, just maybe, if they're distracted enough, like by their studious daughter doing badly in school, they'll stop fighting and focus on her.

She sure hopes that's the case.

X

Her mom's arms are crossed and her foot taps against the tile floor. "Is there a reason that your grades have fallen?"

Hermione wordlessly shakes her head.

"Maybe if you put down your knitting needles, you could help our daughter with her homework," her dad accuses.

Her mom glares at him. "First of all, she only has to ask if she needs to help, and I'd be happy to assist her. I'm not a mind reader, and if she doesn't ask, I don't know. Second of all, there's no reason that you can't help. We get home at the same time every night after all.

And that's when they turn their ire from Hermione to each other.

Hermione slumps in her seat. Not only are her grades failing, but her plan is failing as well.

X

Hermione does more to get her parents' attention. She doesn't just get bad grades. She acts out in class, being held back at dismissal because of her disruptive behavior. She starts talking back to teachers, getting into fights with other kids, and even destroying the school's books and other property.

She's spiraling, and it's all to get her parents' attention on her. It doesn't work, though.

Any anger they feel about Hermione's actions, they turn on each other and start blaming the other for Hermione's bad behavior.

No matter what she does, it looks like she might not be able to save her parents' marriage.

It all comes to a head one sunny afternoon.

Hermione sits on the front lawn, trying to tune out her parents' bickering in order to read.

Their shouting keeps distracting her, especially as their words grow crueler with increasing frequency.

Hormone gets fed up and throws her book to the ground as she stands up. "Can't you two just stop fighting!" she screams.

Her vision blurs because of tears, and she turns around and flees.

She hears frantic shouts for her to 'stop' and 'wait,' but she doesn't listen to her mom or dad. She's tired of caring about what they want.

She needs to run away. She needs to get away from the constant tension. She just wants to be free from the emotional torment she's suffering because of them.

She doesn't see the car coming, but she feels the pain as it connects with her small body.

She barely has time to cry out as darkness claims her.

* * *

 _(Chapter WC: 604)_


	3. Reality

**Written For:**

 **The Only One Character Challenge:** Round 5

 **Main Prompt:** As this is the final round it will be tough. Below you will find three lists, you will claim one thing from each list as soon as possible. These will be your puzzle pieces for your fic; oh, and did I mention, your challenge will be to write, not a one-shot, not a two-shot, but a three-shot.

 ** _Restriction:_ **You cannot use past tense

 _ **Title** (main fic title or chapter title) **:**_ Spiraling

 **_Issue_** _(does not have to be main story topic but clearly referenced) **:**_ Your character dealing with a personal trauma.

 **Prompts:** (word) knitting / (word) television / (random prompt) Your character must be injured in some way

xXx

 _Chapter 3: Reality_

Hermione's eyes flutter open. She turns her head slowly to look to her right and sees her mom sleeping in what looks to be a very uncomfortable chair. She then looks to her right and sees her dad on her other side.

She smiles as her eyes close again. Her parents are there and not fighting. Everything is perfect.

X

The next time her eyes open, her mom and dad are talking in hushed whispers.

Her mom is the first one to notice her awake. "Hey, Baby Girl." Her mom's fingers soothingly go through Hermione's curls. "How are you feeling?"

Hermione thinks about it. "Sore."

Her dad comes to her other side and lays his hand on her forehead. "Do you remember what happened?"

She thinks about it, but her mind draws a blank. Hermione finally mutters, "No."

"Hermione, you were angry at your mom and me, and you ran into the street in front of a car. The driver swerved, but he was unable to miss you completely and got your left side. You'll be using a wheelchair for a while because it will be impossible to use crutches with broken ribs."

Hermione doesn't know what to think about her injuries, so instead, she focuses on the one thing she has been focused on for months. "You two aren't fighting anymore, right?" she asks.

For the first time, in what seems like an eternity, there are no raised voices, so she has reason to hope.

Her mom and dad share a look.

Her mom sits on the hospital bed and takes Hermione's hand in hers. "The fact that you got so upset that you unthinkingly ran into the street hit us hard. It made your dad and me talk. _Really_ talk once we knew you'd be okay. We talked about our fighting. We talked about why we fought and how we felt about it."

Hermione can't stop her silent is only one reason for such a big speech. "You're going to get divorced." It isn't a question; Hermione is certain she's right.

Her dad takes Hermione's other hand, careful of her shoulder, which Hermione just realizes is throbbing with a dulled pain. "We love you, but your mom and I have come to the conclusion that we don't love each other anymore. We being in an unhappy marriage isn't good for us, and it certainly isn't good for you."

Hermione sniffles. "Counseling?" she tries.

Two kisses are pressed against her cheeks by both of her parents.

"Honey, get some rest," her mom whispers.

It isn't a yes, but it isn't a no either. Maybe there's still hope that they'll be a happy family again.

Just before her eyes close, she sees her parents sadly shake their heads at each other.

Reality crashes down onto her.

There isn't any hope. No hope at all.

* * *

 _(Chapter WC: 475)_


End file.
